Recently, after a sudden career change, Amanda decided to return to college. Despite this turbulent transition, Amanda says, ā€œI thought to myself, what is the best thing I can do other than continue to show up in my community as myself?ā€ Through her degree in Justice Studies at UMA, she hopes to shift to a career in policy where she can fight for marginalized communities. With school, work, and Roller Derby, Amandaā€™s life is incredibly busy, but she says, ā€œIt will never be the perfect time to go back to school, especially when youā€™re an adult.ā€ She keeps herself motivated by being competitive with herself and leaning on her community.

Thank you, Amanda! We canā€™t wait to see what you do next!

Thank you, Professor Buckley, for sharing your time and your story with the UMA community!

Thank you, Elissa, for all your great work for the URock community and beyond!

We at URock would like to shine a spotlight on one of our amazing Alumni who loved UMA enough to stay!

Virginia LaFlamme graduated in 2023 with a degree in Liberal Studies. She is now an invaluable part of the UMA team as our Marketing Content Specialist!

Of her time as a student at UMA, Virginia says:

“I had always wanted to finish my bachelorā€™s degree, and when the pandemic paused my 25-year career, I finally had the opportunity. I chose UMA for its affordability and flexible online optionsā€”but what truly surprised me was the extraordinary quality of the faculty and staff. Their expertise, kindness, and genuine commitment to my success made all the difference. I never felt like just another student; I felt supported, seen, and inspired every step of the way.”

Thank you, Virginia, for all the marvelous work you’ve done for UMA!

At URock and the broader UMA community, there is no shortage of amazing success stories from Alumni who continue to make UMA proud through their grit and perseverance.

This week, we would like to shine a spotlight on Anna Carpenter, a two-time Knox County Legislative Memorial Scholarship winner and a recent URock grad. Of her time at UMA, Carpenter says:

“I wasnā€™t sure if I wanted to return to school, so I started with an Adult Education class. I did so well that the instructor asked me to take her second-level course at UMA. I was very hesitant, as I swore I would never go back to school. It was fear that kept me away, and the belief I wasnā€™t smart enough, and I was too old (48 at the time).

Over the past five years (yup, took me five), I have learned so much about myself. It turns out that I am very smart! I have a strong desire to learn and feed my brain. After some practice, I learned how to budget my time, discipline myself with my assignments, ask for help when I needed it, and keep pushing forward no matter how hard it felt.

I ended up excelling in my journey at UMA. I have become a very strong woman; I have the utmost confidence in myself now and know that I can accomplish anything I put my mind to. I feel very capable of reaching any goal that I give myself.

I plan to apply what Iā€™ve learned in my time at UMA and take it to the next level by applying to graduate school. Iā€™m definitely nervous, but also very excited because I know that I can do the work and be successful thanks to UMA.”

Thank you, Anna, for sharing your journey and being such a wonderful part of the UMA Rockland Community!

UMA Rockland Center recently welcomed alumni, students, and community members for Talks on the Town: A Talk on Happiness with Greg Fahyā€”a pleasant evening of thoughtful conversation, good food, and meaningful connection. 

Guests enjoyed the first hour catching up over refreshments and relaxed conversation before settling in for an engaging talk with Greg Fahy, UMA associate professor of philosophy. Drawing from global perspectives and recent research, Fahy guided the group in exploring how happiness is understood and experienced around the world, and shared research on happiness-boosting (and blocking) factors to explore, embrace or avoid. 

Known for his approachable style and ability to make complex ideas feel relatable, he encouraged attendees to reflect, share, and think a little differently about what it means to live well. Fahyā€™s talk was also shared via Zoom for those who could not attend in person.

The event was held at the beautiful Riley School in Rockport and is part of a growing effort to create more opportunities for alumni and community members to gather, learn, and connect. More events are already in the worksā€”and we hope to see you at the next one.

UMA Rockland Center invites the community to an evening of fresh ideas and meaningful conversation. Talks on the Town: A Talk on Happiness with Greg Fahy is an interactive presentation inspired by Fahyā€™s popular UMA philosophy course On Happiness. Drawing on insights from the March 2025 World Happiness Report and exploring diverse cultural perspectives on well-being, Fahy will guide participants in reflecting on how happiness is understoodā€”and pursuedā€”around the world. Known for making complex ideas engaging and accessible, Fahy promises an evening that will leave you thinkingā€”and smilingā€”long after it ends.

Greg Fahy, associate professor of philosophy at UMA, is a scholar of American philosophy and a recipient of the William James Prize from the American Philosophical Association. His work has appeared in journals such as Teaching Philosophy and Essays in Philosophy. Beyond the classroom, he serves on the Ethics Committee of MaineGeneral Medical Center and the Founderā€™s Council of the Snow Pond Arts Academy, reflecting his deep engagement with Maineā€™s broader community.

Event Details:

• What: Talks on the Town: A Talk on Happiness with Greg Fahy
  
• When: Tuesday, May 13, 6ā€“7 p.m.
  
• Where: The Riley School, Rockport, Maine (live-stream also available)
  
• Cost: Free and open to the public

• RSVP:

This event offers a chance for community members to come together, reflect on what makes life meaningful, and discover new perspectives on happiness.

5 pm – 7 pm

The Riley School, 73 Warrenton St, Rockport ME

and Online

UMA Rockland Center is pleased to invite you to Talks on the Town: A Talk On Happiness with Greg Fahy, Professor of Philosophy.

A social hour will be held from 5pm – 6pm for guests to eat, drink, and mingle while enjoying this charming venue. Come foster lifelong relationships with members of the UMA community at all stages of their academic and post-academic careers.

From 6pm – 7pm Greg Fahy will present his talk: On Happiness. In this interactive presentation, Professor Fahy will guide participants through the World Happiness Report and its conclusions about different cultural approaches to happiness and well-being. Fahy will also explore current neuroscientific and psychological findings about happiness. By the end of the evening, participants will gain an understanding of different approaches to happiness, as well as practices that increase personal well-being.

In-person space for this event is limited. Registration is required to attend. Please register below. We look forward to seeing you at The Riley School on May 13th!

Any other questions? Feel free to reach out to Sophia Larson.

UMA Rockland held it’s annual ‘URock Graduation Celebration’ to recognize their local grads on Saturday, April 27th.

13 of our 30 graduates attended, along with their family & friends. The program included a Message from a Graduate – Courtney Green, BS Nursing, as well as Keynote Address from John Viehman, Former President – United Midcoast Charities.

Student awards were also presented.

Katie Ebert of the UMA Rockland Center and Shelley Taylor of the UMA Brunswick Center presented on Ā鶹APP high-impact program ā€œThe Student Instituteā€ at the Region I NACADA conference in Rhode Island on February 22nd.

With over 100 student affairs professionals in attendance at the presentation, Ebert and Taylor discussed the development, implementation, and delivery of ā€œThe Student Institute,ā€ giving universities across all of New England and part of Canada a blueprint for creating a similar program at their schools.

The Student Institute provides UMA students with the opportunity to: identify personal and professional goals, integrate academic and career plans, develop a peer network, and get matched with a faculty mentor inside their major. The institute sees faculty and advisors collaborate to deliver this zero-cost program offered to 40 UMA students every fall and spring.

Reflecting on the opportunity to speak at the conference, Ebert said ā€œAs the Student Services Coordinator at UMA Rockland Center, I am proud to represent UMA as an institution and to be able to showcase our commitment to developing and delivering innovative, student-centered programming like ā€˜The Student Instituteā€™. College students succeed and get the most out of their college experience when they develop strong relationships with faculty. This program is designed to build those supportive relationships that are critical for student success.ā€

UMA specializes in providing students with flexible and affordable education. Advisors are here to support students at all stages of life from Early College through . For more information about UMA, explore . For more information about the Student Institute, visit uma.edu/studentinstitute.